Grow Your Business In 5 Fun Steps
1.Make a list of ten clients or customers you adored working with in the past year.Perhaps they were fabulous to work with, gave you amazing feedback, or spent lots of money and raved about you to their friends.Then, call each one of them.Check in to see how they're doing, ask if they have any questions, need help with anything or how they are enjoying their purchase. No selling, just chatting.The benefit:
- You stay on their radar
- They are reminded of how much they love your thing (wait, that sounded funny - but you know what I mean)
- You just jogged their memory if they have been meaning to call you
- You get free helpful feedback from your right people about other needs you can meet or problems you can solve
2. Make a list of five businesses that are complimentary to yours.You know, businesses that offer a complimentary service to your product, or products that match well to the ones you sell, or target the same group of ideal customers that you are.Next, contact at least two of them.Partner up by trading banner space, writing guest posts for each other’s blogs, doing reviews of each other’s products, creating packages by combining products or services, or by featuring each other in your newsletters.The benefit:
- Increasing your fan base
- Solving more problems for your ideal customers
- Finding low cost, win-win ways to promote both of your businesses
3. Make a list of five business owners you admire, follow or look up to.Perhaps they are doing things with their business that you have only dreamed of, or they inspire you in some way, or they are proving themselves to be experts in their niche.Email one of them.Introduce yourself, tell them the reasons why you admire them and love their work, let them know how much you learn from them just by following their progress. Be genuine, sincere and specific.The benefit:
- You are building relationships with other business owners
- You may find yourself a great mentor
- The more people you connect with, the more opportunities come your way
- You get to learn new things from folks with more experience than you
4. Find one person just starting out in your niche.Maybe they've already contacted you to say hello or have commented on your blog, or perhaps you have noticed them in social media or around town.Email them.Introduce yourself and tell them one reason you like what they have to offer. Be sincere. Ask them how things are going, invite them for a coffee (or a phone call) to chat some time, or let them know about something going on they might be interested in.The benefit:
- Being a mentor to others is a great way to learn and grow your own business
- Karma - putting something good out there often comes back to you ten fold
- "Just starting out" businesses may refer clients to you when they can’t fill the need
5. For two weeks take a complete break from your niche and target market.Instead, spend your break following other businesses or blogs that are completely new to you in fields that you normally don’t pay attention to. Read poetry, flip through a magazine, visit a museum and eat at a new restaurant.Jot down all of the ideas that catch your attention and then find ways to apply those ideas to your business, no matter how bizarre it might seem at first. Be creative and think outside the box.The benefit:
- You find new sources of inspiration
- You won’t be doing the same old things that your competitors are doing
- Your business will stand out in your niche
Which strategy will you try this week? Share with us in the comments.